Railway foot-guard.



No. 798,178. PATENTED AUG. 29, 1905.

W. FROST.

RAILWAY FOOT GUARD. I

AYPLIOATION FILED MAY 9. 1995.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM FROST, OF PETERSBURG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM DENTON, OF PETERSBURG, ILLINOIS, AND ONE-FOURTH TO GEORGE S. POWER, OF PETERSBURG, ILLINOIS.

RAILWAY FOOT-GUARD.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application filed May 9, 1905. Serial No. 259,529-

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRosT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Menard and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Foot-Guards; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in spring-supported foot guards or blocks for railway-switches, switch-frogs, guard-rails, and the like.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character and thereby render the same more eflicient in operation, less expensive to manufacture, and adapted for use between rails disposed at various angles to each other. 7

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved foot-guard, showing the same mounted between two converging track-rails. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 and 2 denote two converging track-rails between which my improved foot-guard 3 is mounted. The latter comprises a bottom plate or base 4 of substantially triangular form, which is adapted to be secured upon the crossties by spikes or other suitable fastening means. I

Upon the bottom or base 4 is yieldably supported a top 5, which is made adjustable, so as to fit between the heads of rails disposed at different angles to each other. This lateral expansion or adjustment of the top 5 ispreferably effected by forming the same of a tapered central section 6 and two sliding and swinging side sections 7, which are also tapered and which have their small ends pivoted, as shown at 7 to the under side of the small end of the central section 6. By thus pivoting the side sections 7 they may be swung angularly to increase or decrease the size of the top, as will be readily seen upon reference to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. In order to hold these side sections 7 in an adjusted position, I preferably form them with curved slots 8, arranged concentric with their pivots and adapted to receive set-screws 9, which enter threaded recesses or sockets formed in the under side of the central section 6. The outer edges of the side sections 7 are grooved to form flanges 10, which are adapted to engage the under sides of the heads of the rails.

In order to yieldably support the top 5, so that it may be depressed by the flanges of the ear-wheels passing over the track-rails, but not by the weight of a person or an animal stepping thereon, I preferably provide a series of coil-springs 11 and a flat spring 12, which latter is secured at one end of the base or bottom 4 and is adapted to have its free end bearing against the under side of the rear end of the central section 6 of the top 5, as clearly shown in the drawings. The coilsprings 11, which are interposed between the base or bottom 4 and the top 5, surround guidepins 13 14 15, which are carried by the top and are adapted to slide freely in opening 16, formed in the bottom or base 4. The pin 13 at the small end of the top 5 is secured to the under side of the central section 6 and projects through recesses or notches formed in the inner edges of the side sections 7, and the two guide-pins14 15 are disposed adjacent to the large end of the top 5 and are secured in a cross-plate 17, which is disposed beneath the side sections 7 and secured centrally, as shown at 18, to the under side of the central section 6 between the inner edges of the two side sections 7, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The construction, operation,and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

It will be seen that by making the top of the block or guide laterally adjustable the device may be adapted for use between rails disposed at various angles to each other and that by reason of the simple and durable construction shown in the drawings the device may be readily applied and will effectively prevent the foot of a person or animal from becoming so tightly wedged between the converging rails as to render it impossible for them to free themselves before the approach of a train.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will,

be understood that various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle. or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim-as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A railway-switch guard having a top formed of a central section and side sections slidably and adjustably mounted thereon.

2. A railway-switch guard comprising a bottom and a spring-supported top thereon, and pivotally-niounted, laterallyextensible sections upon said top.

3. A railway-switch guard comprising a bottom, aspring-supported top thereon, angumnected to the top section, aslot-and-screw connection-between said side sections and said central sections to hold the former in an adjusted position upon the latter, guid e-pins carried by said top ,and adapted to slide in the apertures in said bottom or base, coil-springs surrounding said guide-pins, and a flat spring secured upon said bottom or base and adapted to engage the under side of said top, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM FROST.

IN'tnesses:

CHARLES FIN, THEo G. BENNETT. 

